PREVIOUS 11:00 AM: NBC has added comedy Friends With Benefits to its roster of new comedy series for next season. It joins fellow new half-hours Perfect Couples and Outsourced on the comedy side.

The single-camera Friends With Benefits landed at NBC in a quick turnaround after ABC, where it was originally set, passed on it in February. The project, a romance through the eyes of five friends, is from 20th Century Fox TV and Imagine TV. It was written by (500) Days of Summer scribes Scott Neustadtler and Michael Weber, with David Dobkin directing the pilot. There will be casting changes on the project.

NBC has stuck to two genres in its comedy series pickups: workplace comedy (Outsourced), which would fit nicely into its workplace-themed Thursday comedy block, and relationship comedy (Friends With Benefits, Perfect Couples), which may air as a block. NBC has been mulling opening a second comedy block on Wednesday.

Here is NBC’s release, which also officially announces the renewal of Chuck.

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UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – May 14, 2010 – NBC has issued pickups for four more new scripted series with dramas “The Cape,” “Outlaw,” “Harry’s Law” and the comedy “Friends With Benefits” – while renewing the action-comedy series “Chuck” for a fourth season — all for the 2010-11 season.

“The addition of these four inventive series to our new scripted lineup demonstrates a wide spectrum of creative stories,” said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios. “We are featuring popular, top-flight stars along with a strong pedigree of successful writer-producers. Likewise, ‘Chuck’ has proven its enduring appeal and we love the new creative direction that Josh and Chris have taken the show.”

The four new series join previously announced “LOLA’ (“Law & Order: Los Angeles”), “Perfect Couples,” “Chase,” “Undercovers,” “The Event,” “Love Bites” and “Outsourced” as the new scripted series that NBC has revealed for its new season.

“The Cape” is a one-hour drama series starring David Lyons as Vince Faraday, an honest cop on a corrupt police force, who finds himself framed for a series of murders and presumed dead. He is forced into hiding, leaving behind his wife, Dana (Jennifer Ferrin) and son, Trip (Ryan Wynott). Fueled by a desire to reunite with his family and to battle the criminal forces that have overtaken Palm City, Faraday becomes “The Cape” his son’s favorite comic book superhero — and takes the law into his own hands. Rounding out the cast are James Frain as billionaire Peter Fleming – The Cape’s nemesis – who moonlights as the twisted killer: Chess; Keith David as Max Malini, the ringleader of a circus gang of bank robbers who mentors Vince Faraday and trains him to be The Cape; Summer Glau as Orwell, an investigative blogger who wages war on crime and corruption in Palm City; and Dorian Missick as Marty Voyt, a former police detective and friend to Faraday. “The Cape” is a Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun production from executive producer/creator Thomas Wheeler, executive producer/director Simon West, the executive producing team of Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun and executive producer Gene Stein.

Starring Emmy Award winner Jimmy Smits, “Outlaw” is a new drama from executive producer John Eisendrath. Cyrus Garza (Smits) is a Supreme Court justice who abruptly quits the high-level position. A playboy and a gambler, Garza had always adhered to a strict interpretation of the law until he realized the system he believed in was flawed. Now that he’s quit the bench and returned to private practice, he’s determined to represent “the little guy” and use his inside knowledge of the justice system to take on today’s biggest legal cases — and he’s making plenty of powerful people unhappy along the way. Jesse Bradford, Carly Pope, Ellen Woglomand David Ramsey also star. “Outlaw” is a Universal Media Studios production along with Conaco productions. Eisendrath is executive producer along with Terry George, Conan O’Brien, Jeff Ross and David Kissinger. “Outlaw” is written by Eisendrath and directed by George.

Emmy Award-winning creator David E. Kelley brings his unique storytelling to “Harry’s Law,” a series about fate and the people it brings together, starring Academy Award winner Kathy Bates. Harriet (Bates), Matthew (Ben Chaplin) and Malcolm (Aml Ameen) couldn’t be any more different. Harriet is a curmudgeonly ex-patent lawyer who, having just been fired from her cushy job, is completely disillusioned with her success and looking for a fresh start. Her world unexpectedly collides with Malcolm’s — a young man trying to figure out life. When he finds out Harriet is a lawyer, he begs her to represent him in an upcoming criminal case. Matthew, a dreamer at heart and also recently fired from his job as a high school teacher, is introduced to Harriet through Malcolm, a previous student of his. When these three cross paths, they realize they’re all looking for a fresh start. Now, the most unlikely of people are starting a law practice in the most unlikely of places — a rundown shoe store. “Harry’s Law” also stars Brittany Snow as Harriet’s assistant, Jenna Backstrom and Beatrice Rosen as Eve, a high school French teacher. “Harry’s Law” is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with David E. Kelley Productions and Warner Bros. Television. David E. Kelley and Bill D’Elia serve as executive producers. D’Elia also serves as director.

From Oscar and Emmy winner Brian Grazer, “Friends With Benefits” is a half-hour comedy revolving around a group of twenty-something singles as they navigate the difficult, and often confusing, world of dating. Ben Weymouth (Ryan Hansen) is on the hunt for the perfect woman who meets his unique set of standards, while his best friend, Sara Maxwell (Danneel Harris), is just looking for a man to settle down with and raise a family. Ben and Sara have fallen into the habit of turning to each other for moral and physical support as they wait for Mr. and Ms. Right to arrive. Their friend Aaron (Fran Kranz), a romantic at heart, doesn’t approve of Ben and Sara’s complicated friendship, but he, along with womanizer Hoon (Ian Reed Kesler) and straight shooter Riley (Jessica Lucas), are all distracted with their own dating trials and tribulations. David Nevins joins Grazer as executive producer for Imagine Television. Also serving as executive producers are David Dobkin (“Wedding Crashers”), who directs the pilot, writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, and Jeff Kleeman. “Friends With Benefits” is a production of 20thCentury Fox Television, Imagine Television and Big Kid Pictures.

Now in its third season that concludes with a two-hour season finale on Monday, May 24 (8-10 p.m. ET), “Chuck” is averaging a 2.4 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49 and 6.6 million viewers overall. “Chuck’s” ratings increase significantly when all time-shifted viewing is added to its results, growing this season by an average of 22 percent in its 18-49 rating and more than 1.1 million persons in total viewers when going from its “live plus same day” to its “live plus seven day” results from Nielsen Media Research.

31 Comments

Dave • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

Wasn’t this called “Coupling”?

Comedy Writer • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

Not particularly surprising given that Little Piggy was a charming script while Friends with Benefits defies all logic and reason. You’re my best friend and we have sex all the time but talk about other people while we’re doing it. Yeah, that’s exactly how life is…

Yves • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

sucks about Piggy. that was a funny script and a funny taping. very clever and smart. not sure why they ordered a family pilot if they had no intention of doing any family shows. Boo NBC.

Anonymous • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

I dont recall getting quite so many (if any) offical pick ups, before the upfronts in previous years.

Is it just me?

my two dads • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

what about NEXT??

Really?! • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

Hey, networks, thanks for all of the new shows about young people dating. Is this 1997?

Senor Chang • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

So, if neither Reiser`s show or Piggy are getting picked up, does this mean that The Strip actually has a chance? It`s very well liked by people, and it has a superb cast.

Mad World • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

I think The Cape has the potential to be a big hit. It should be good considering it has Summer Glau playing an Internet blogger. She’s such a great actress. However, I read that Friends With Benefits an that the only reason it’s being picked up is to appease 20th Century Fox and Imagine Entertainment. Then again, didn’t Les Moonves at WB push ER and Friends when NBC didn’t like either show? Look at how that turned out. Below is the only logical reason why NBC is picking this show up.

http://www.deadline.com/2010/04/primetime-pilot-panic-more-hot-list/
“20th is really pushing “Friends With Benefits,” but the network already knows it’s not funny. And they’ve already had to re-cast. And it’s expensive. For the sake of the Imagine relationship, it’ll probably get picked up, but since there’s already this much in-fighting, they’re going to need to get rid of some people if they want it to be successful going forward.
Comment by babcock — Saturday April 24, 2010 @ 12:59pm PDT”

Anonymous • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

No offense, but I don’t think Summer Glau’s presence will effect the show’s ratings one way or another. It certainly didn’t help TSCC. The Cape sounds too much like Joel Schumacher’s version of Gotham City, and that’s not a good thing.

John • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

It looks a lot more like Dark Angel than Joel Schumaker’s Batman.

tvisawasteleand • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

I’m sorry, but I don’t think Summer Glau’s presence will effect the ratings one way or another. It certainly didn’t help TSCC. The Cape sounds like Joel Schumacher’s version of Gotham City, minus its most compelling character. If the creators wanted to imitate the style of a Batman director, they should have chosen Christopher Nolan.

Jackson • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

They are imitating Christopher Nolan. Fact.

tvisawasteland • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

The Cape sounds more like Schumacher’s over the top cheesefests than anything Nolan has created.

John • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

The Cape a big hit! It’s a typical super hero show. I guy dresses up in a costume and mask. And goes around the city fighting crime. Where’s the imagination and the creativity? Heroes was different. It was regular people with special abilities. No masks or costumes. I loved in one of the episodes Ando refuses to put on the costume Hiro got him. Why? Because it’s typical. Heroes had the right formula on season 1 and almost had it in season 2. But if only NBC would of just paid attention to there show and listened to there fans. Then they would of had there hit TV show today.

Sam • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

So many pilots picked and so much buzz. Seriously, NBC has to succeed this coming TV Season. I know i wish them that. Actually the net has had the most buzz this pilot season.

Now we need to see the prime time schedule.

Truthbetold • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

I counted 17 Executive Producers: 16 male and one female.

As for minorities, it’s harder to know based on names, but I could make a guess given Hollywood’s track record…

Mad World • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

Correction: I mean to say that I read in the quote I pasted tha Friends With Benefits was horrible.

Jack • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

I thought Jeff Gaspin was really batting for Paul Reiser’s Next. What happened? Did he change his mind?

Sam • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

Kudos to Nellie Andreeva

Thank you very much for the latest news this pilot season. We were indeed top-to-date like never before.

harry belefonte • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

Next feels mid-season to me….

tyler • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

Why did NBC shoot so many multi-cams and not pick up a single one?
They certainly do not want to be in the multi-cam business even though
those are the proven shows that make money.

Observer • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

“Paul Reiser’s ‘Next’ not looking good”? With no explanation? After over a week of 100% positive reports about the show on this site, including that Gaspin “loved it” and 48 hrs ago it was “going strong”?

That’s an Orwellian level of disconnect from history(“We have always been at war with Eastasia”) Hairpin reversals like that ought to be acknowledged and reported with some context.

tvcon • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

how many pilot is this for nbc? my god out of all of these only 3-4 will succeed is it worth?

Buckman • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

Turning your back on the people that gave you some of your biggest successes — Paul Rieser, Dick Wolf — can you really afford to make more enemies NBC?

Jean • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

Does this mean Rex has been passed on then?

James • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

The Cape sounds a lot like Dark Angel. It sounds like it could be pretty successful.

Arlene • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

Doubt I’ll watch or recommend any new NBC show to anyone now L&O’s cancelled. Just deleted Parenthood from my DVR w/out bothering to watch. Didn’t much like it anyway.

cindy caponera • on May 14, 2010 11:30 am

Another show about twenty-somethings trying to navigate in the world of dating? REALLY? REALLY? Where’s Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler when you need them.